Flooring Glossary

At Floor Coverings International in Hillsborough NJ, we take flooring seriously. Choosing a floor for your home can sometimes be an overwhelming experience. We take pride in providing all of the information you need to make an educated choice. Take a moment to review the following terms and then view each page for more detail. When you’re ready, call Floor Coverings International in Hillsborough NJ for a free in-home estimate and design consultation.

Laminate Flooring: Laminate flooring is one of the most convenient and long-lasting floor coverings on the market, thanks in part to technology. Read more about Laminate Flooring here.

Carpet: Carpeting can add warmth and style to any room. Before choosing a new carpet, review some of the styles and materials so you don’t become overwhelmed by the many choices. Read more about Carpet here.

Oak Flooring: Oak flooring adds an air of tradition to any room. Depending on the sawing technique used to cut the wood, oak can have a straight grain or a varied pattern of rays and flecks. Read more about Oak Flooring here.

Solid Hardwood Flooring: Solid hardwood flooring is a popular choice among homeowners thanks to its durability and diversity of colors and styles. Read more about Solid Hardwood Flooring here.

Vinyl Flooring: Vinyl flooring is a variant of linoleum and it is stain and water resistant, making it an ideal choice for bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, entryways and more. Read more about Vinyl Flooring here.

Bamboo Flooring: Bamboo flooring has been popular in the Pacific Rim for decades. While often grouped with hardwood floors, bamboo is actually made from a species of grass called “Moso.” Read more about Bamboo Flooring here.

Tile Flooring: Tile flooring is extremely durable, attractive and appropriate for a wide variety of room décor. Read more about Tile Flooring here.

Berber Carpet: Berber carpet is a popular choice for high traffic areas thanks to its durability and stain resistance. Read more about Berber Carpet here.

Ceramic Tile Floor: Ceramic tile’s resistance to water and stains makes it a common choice in kitchens and bathrooms. But more and more people are choosing ceramic tile for other rooms as well, thanks to its nearly limitless options for customization. Read more about Ceramic Tile Floor here.

Plank Flooring: Plank flooring creates an aged look that stands out from contemporary hardwood floors. This style of wood flooring dates back to the early American settlers of the 17th century, who used plank flooring cut from old growth trees. Read more about Plank Flooring here.

Linoleum Flooring: Linoleum flooring is often considered a staple of the 1960s, but it’s making a comeback thanks to its rich color palate and environmental friendliness. Read more about Linoleum Flooring here.

Cherry Flooring: Cherry flooring adds a warm finish to any room. It has an attractive red hue with dark brown streaks that darken slightly with age. Read more about Cherry Flooring here.

Maple Flooring: Maple flooring provides a light, smooth look that can open up any room. Maple ranks high in hardness, making it a great choice for areas that receive lots of foot traffic. Read more about Maple Flooring here.

Walnut Flooring: Walnut flooring actually improves with age, its rich colors and swirling grain patterns deepening and developing more character over time. Read more about Walnut Flooring here.

Prefinished Flooring: refers to the process of preparing and packaging a wood floor at the factory instead of on-site. In contrast, site-finished flooring is delivered to the job site and finished there. There are a variety of factors to consider when choosing a pre-finished floor or a site-finished floor. Read more about Prefinished Flooring here.

Floating Flooring: Floating flooring is a type of floor covering that does not need to be nailed or glued down to the subfloor. Read more about Floating Flooring here.

Red Oak Flooring: Red oak flooring has a warm, pinkish hue with prominent grain lines. Like white oak flooring, it can be finished with a clear sealant or stained to nearly any shade. Read more about Red Oak Flooring here.

Brazilian Cherry Flooring: Brazilian cherry has an open grain that looks similar to oak but is twice as hard. Read more about Brazilian Cherry Flooring here.

Green Flooring: Green flooring options abound at Floor Coverings International, so if environmental protection is on your list of priorities, check out our showroom for your next home improvement project. Read more about Green Flooring here.

White Oak Flooring: White oak flooring has a consistent light to charcoal-grey hue. Depending on how the wood is sawed, white oak can have a straight grain or the flecks similar to those seen in Mission style furniture. Read more about White Oak Flooring here.

Carpet pad: A supportive padding placed under carpets and area rugs. The pad absorbs sound and cushions the surface so it feels more comfortable underfoot. Carpet pad.

Carpet replacement: Replacement carpet can become necessary after your old flooring becomes worn, stained or outdated. When purchasing replacement carpet, consider the area’s traffic patterns and how long you plan to live in your home. Replacement carpet.

Sisal carpet: Sisal carpet and rugs are made from the fibers of a cactus plant native to Africa and Brazil. These fibers are cut, dried and treated to produce twine that can then be woven into floor coverings. Sisal carpet.

Exotic hardwood flooring: This upscale option is a great way to make a statement about your distinctive taste in home décor. It also has several advantages over common hardwood. Exotic hardwood flooring.

Pine flooring: Pine is a soft wood that increases in beauty as it ages. While not as popular as it was 100 years ago, pine flooring is an affordable option that can add a unique distressed look to your home or office. Pine flooring.